


Evocative Interpretation

by slitchy_chan



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode: s03e11 The Sorcerer's Shadow, Headcanon, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Short, merthur if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:26:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28280118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slitchy_chan/pseuds/slitchy_chan
Summary: "Did they injure you?" Arthur's shoulders stiffened up defensively, unaware of his lips twisting to a small scowl till it dropped suddenly at Merlin's confused furrowed brows and frown."Are you feeling alright? Sire?" Merlin's head twitched to the side a bit. Arthur pouted for a hot second and was prepared to deny its momentary existence.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	Evocative Interpretation

**Author's Note:**

> After watching a scene from Episode 11, I had a whole ass headcanon.  
> season 3 episode 11 "The Sorcerers Shadow" [4:53-7:05]
> 
> headcanon:  
> After the interaction in the armory, the men left and passed Arthur down the hall, Arthur being the protective rat he is, called out for merlin, and when he didn't respond, he just got more and more worried.

Merlin was busy stitching together a repair on Arthur's armor when they came in. Instinctively he turned his head to see who entered, but upon not recognizing he instead resumed work. 

Then they spoke. 

"My, if isn't the prince of Camelot." the taller one said, taking short steps closer. Merlin watched him carefully, caught off guard and mildly amused. He let out a small chuckle and lowered his eyes back to the pieces in front of him. 

"Afraid not. Just his servant." he attempted to keep a smile up. 

"Yeah? I've always wanted a servant." he said. Merlin was almost instantly hit with worry and confusion, but even more caught off guard by the man harshly slamming his boot on the seat of the bench, leaning closer to him than Merlin liked. "Clean them."

"I...sorry- _what_?" Merlin squinted a bit. 

"My boots." he said as if it were obvious to what he wanted. Merlin paused, looking at this man for any indication to this being a terrible _terrible_ joke. But it wasn't. He leaned closer and outstretched his weapon, a wordless threat that came across _very_ clearly. " _Hurry up_." 

Merlin was still for a moment, wearily standing from the bench and walking over to where the rags for polishing armor went. He was searching for one that was already used in spite. His search was cut short by the sound of a crack and a sting on his behind. Needless to say he was a tid-bit _extremely_ flustered. 

"I'm looking for a cloth!" he hissed, cheeks faintly red from embarrassment but quickly subsiding to resulting from anger.

"I don't care if you use your tongue boy, I said clean them!" he shouted. 

_"Stay where you are!_ " a new voice came in, drawing all three of their attention to the doorway. There stood a boy. He was a bit short, and in Merlin's eyes looking a little bit too in over his head.

They seemed to know each other in some way, but Merlin could read the tension that it wasn't anything good. The men began to banter with the boy, but it had quickly turned to a much more tense situation. 

"I-I'm sorry, this is my fault. This isn't nec-" Merlin began, thinking this was going a bit too far, but stopped when one of the men turned around and stalked towards him, a sign of telling him to shut up and back down. 

Then, everything moved just too quickly. The man cracked his whip again, this time towards the boy, but in the blink of an eye the shorter male was wielding a sword, blocking the rope as it curled around the blade, giving him the perfect chance to yank the handle from the mans hand. At the loss of his weapon, he pulled a concealed weapon out, which he noticed to be some kind of hatchet, and prepared to use that next, but Merlin saw it and vocalized his warning. The boy hurried to crack the whip and forced it from his hand, then forced them from the room, gracefully threatening the man with his own weapon. 

Merlin couldn't help the exasperated and breathy laugh he let out. The boy turned in response to it once he was sure the men were gone.

"Thank you. For warning me." he nodded to him before turning to return the sword to its place on the rack. 

Merlin scoffed, approaching him. "It's _me_ who should be grateful. Seriously, thank you."

"It's alright, I've already had a run-in with those two."

"You have?" he frowned. 

"Yeah," he turned to look at him, Merlin noticing the slight sympathetic expression, "I know what it's like to be picked on."

"Merlin?" the voice of Arthur was heard from down the hall. That was his cue to leave and return to his side. 

"Well thank you- again. I really appreciate you stepping in-"

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice had grown far angrier sounding. 

He let out a heavy sigh, but shook his head and continued to smile at Gilli. "I'm-" he pointed in the direction of Arthur's voice, "Merlin, that's me." he smiled. 

Gilli was receptive, giving a smile of his own in response. "I'm Gilli." 

"Merlin!!" Arthur's voice was much louder and angrier.

With a sigh that he quickly merged into a chuckle, Merlin gave a sympathetic smile to Gilli and took a tentative step back. 

"I better- I should get going." He did his best to be polite. Gilli looked understanding, giving a closed smile and a receptive nod of his head, watching as Merlin quickly left the armory. 

Merlin adjusted the scarf around his neck as he hurried down the hall to where Arthur stood, pausing as he took a deep breath to compose himself before entering the room Arthur was in. Once he stepped in though, he wasn't met with the irritated Arthur he thought he was going to be met with, instead he was met with wide blue eyes and a worried expression. 

" _Where were you?_ " he hissed, stepping forward and grabbing him by the shoulder. 

"What? Arth- _sire._ I was in the armory, mending your armor like you asked." he frowned, searching between his eyes for some kind of explanation as to why he was acting like this. Arthur's hand tightly gripped his shoulder again before letting go. He took a deep breath and blinked his gaze away from Merlin's. 

"Those men that just walked past. What did they do?"

Merlin's eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a moment.

"Men?"

"Two of them, they just left the armory. One of them had a bleeding hand, looked like ruffian thugs? They were mumbling about a boy and a servant in the armory." Arthur explained.

_"Who the hell do those two think they are?" the one with a bloodied hand was scowling, "Some meek, mousey boy getting cocky and using **my** weapon against me like he knew what he was doing. For what, to protect some servant?"  
_

_"The brat wont be so lucky in the tournament. The servant wont be there to interfere, and if he is, then he'll just meet the same unlucky demise."  
_

_That was the last thing Arthur had heard before he abruptly called for Merlin. He paused, walking down the last steps to corridor of the hallway that lead down to the armory. He waited, half expecting to see Merlin pop his head around from the room, but instead he was met with nothing, not even a call back of recognition.  
_

_Arthur called out his name again, louder this time. Nothing._

_Panic rose in him as he stepped slightly closer._

_"MERLIN!" he shouted louder. He felt an ache in his heart and a wave of dread. He hastily turned around, half his mind saying to go after the men that passed, his other half saying to go back and check on Merlin.  
_

_He stayed in his spot though when he heard the hurried footsteps of worn leather shoes rushing down the hallway. He'd recognized Merlin's footsteps anywhere, it was just one of those things that Arthur picked up when he was around.  
_

_He felt relief like no other when he turned around to see his friend. Seeing him uninjured, alive and... with that dumb smile that Arthur loved...loves._

" _Oh_." Merlin tilted his head for a second, then nodded. "Yes- those men. It was nothing really, they were just causing a little trouble is all. One of the participants in the tournament came in and protected me."

"Protected you? From what?" Arthur frowned, seeing no obvious signs of injury on him. Merlin just gave a half smile and a faint chuckle. 

"Like I said, they were just causing a little trouble." 

"Did they injure you?" Arthur's shoulders stiffened up defensively, unaware of his lips twisting to a small scowl till it dropped suddenly at Merlin's confused furrowed brows and frown. 

"Are you feeling alright? _Sire_?" Merlin's head twitched to the side a bit. Arthur pouted for a hot second and was prepared to deny its momentary existence. 

"I'm perfectly fine." he rolled his shoulders, sniffling a bit. "Anyway..." he trailed off. He did give in to dropping the conversation since Merlin had put some pretty good effort forth to avoid the subject. 

"Do you need anything sire?" Merlin asked, his expression shifting to something softer. Arthur was more than tempted to relapse into his old statement of listing chore after chore for him to do to occupy the day, but... instead...

"No, that will be all for today. You should assist Gaius, help him prepare to provide aid for the tournament tomorrow." he instructed, trying to keep his face as blank as possible, but couldn't help the small twitch of his lips that came from Merlin's hopeful expression. 

"What, really?" he was outright grinning now. 

"Yes, _Mer_ lin," Arthur rolled his eyes and turned to walk down the stairs to the court yard for knight training, "now get going before I change my mind." 

He began descending down the stairs, but not before hearing Merlin's voice, pleasant and soft.

"Thank you, Arthur." he'd quietly said, but just loud enough for him to hear. Arthur could hear the smile andthe _happiness_ in Merlin's voice when he spoke... and that was all that Arthur needed to hear. 


End file.
